How to Drug Test a Teen at Home

Home drug tests have grown in popularity in recent years as they have become increasingly available for sale on the Internet. Some parents find that regularly using drug tests at home is an effective way to deter teen drug use, though it's important to consider several factors before attempting to implement this method in your own household.

Instructions

    • 1

      Research home drug tests sold on the Internet. It's important to remember that the majority of drug tests available online are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration and may not follow common guidelines used by medical professionals for this type of testing. Do your best to find a test that is recommended by medical experts, realizing this may be next to impossible as medical literature generally advises against home drug testing.

    • 2

      Discuss your plan to conduct home drug tests with your teen. It will be extremely difficult to perform these tests without your teen's consent, as you will most likely need to collect a urine sample. Some tests can be performed on a hair sample, though obtaining a proper sample will also be difficult if not impossible without your child's agreement to submit to the test.

    • 3

      Establish a regular schedule for home drug tests. If your teen agrees to home drug testing, it's a good idea to make a family agreement to have the tests once a week or month on a specific day that is planned in advance. This will show your teen that you respect his decision to cooperate with home drug tests.

    • 4

      Be aware of the possibility of inaccurate results of home drug tests. It is extremely common for home drug tests to produce false results both positive and negative for drug use. Also, many drug tests are designed to test for specific kinds of drugs, so if you are not aware of what drug your teen might be using it may be very difficult to determine which test to use.

    • 5

      Consult a medical professional for an official drug test, regardless of the results of a home drug test. It is dangerous to rely simply on a home drug test, so always seek medical advice if you think there your teen may have a drug problem. A home drug test with a negative result is not enough evidence to bypass medical advice.

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